The Bad Guys 2 review: Everyone’s favourite felons are back!

My kids have been waiting for this one since the last movie came out in 2022, and as big fans of the books, they weren’t disappointed! The Bad Guys 2 brings the gang back together in a story that’s just as funny and fast-paced as the first one.

---

In The Bad Guys 2, the whole crew returns – only now they’re trying to live life as Good Guys. Based on the New York Times best-selling book series by Australian author Aaron Blabey, the sequel once again comes from DreamWorks Animation, with Pierre Perifel back in the director’s chair and a banging score by Oscar-nominated Daniel Pemberton that keeps the good vibes rolling the whole way through.

Cast and Characters: Who’s Back in The Bad Guys 2?

---

Like the first movie, the all-star cast brings the characters to life so well. Returning to their roles are:

• Sam Rockwell as dashing, reformed pickpocket Mr Wolf (can an animated wolf be hot?! Asking for a friend);
• Marc Maron as grumpy-but-loyal safe-cracker Mr Snake;
• Craig Robinson as master-of-disguise Mr Shark;
• Anthony Ramos as short-fused Mr Piranha; and
• Awkwafina as expert hacker Ms Tarantula (aka “Webs”).

The A-list supporting cast are back too: Zazie Beetz as Diane Foxington, Richard Ayoade as Professor Marmalade, Alex Borstein as police chief Misty Luggins, and Lilly Singh as Tiffany Fluffit. It’s a line-up that oozes cool and nails the comic timing in every scene.

---

The Story: From Bad to Good (Sort Of)

---

© DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.
(from left) Shark (Craig Robinson), Piranha (Anthony Ramos), Commissioner Luggins (Alex Borstein), Tarantula (Awkwafina) and Wolf (Sam Rockwell) in DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2, directed by Pierre Perifel.

Story-wise, the second movie feels more complex. In the first one, all they had to do was ‘go good’. In this sequel, the Bad Guys are struggling to find trust and acceptance in their newly minted lives as Good Guys. Unsurprisingly, no-one wants to give them jobs with their criminal history (cue a hilarious scene where Mr Wolf interviews at the very bank he once robbed), and someone keeps trying to frame them.

When their friend—the mayor—needs help, the crew agrees to take on one last heist as “bad guys” to protect her. Naturally, this doesn’t go to plan. What starts as a chance to clear their names (and the mayor’s) once and for all spirals into a full-blown caper featuring an all-female squad of criminals, double-crosses galore, and a finale that sees the not-so-bad Bad Guys chasing a rocket into space in a helicopter.

It’s so incredibly, ridiculously far-fetched and physically impossible (because science.) that it just works. You suspend your disbelief and embrace the crazy.

---

Style, Vibe and Music

---

Tone-wise, the movie feels like all your favourite heist and Tarantino films had a baby together that’s age-appropriate for kids. The visual style is slick and colourful, with punchy quick cuts and a comic-book flair that makes every chase and gag land.

Perifel and Sans keep the pace super fast for our focus-deprived kids, and that energy suits these characters to a tee. It feels just like the books IRL and has that same cool, sketch-inspired texture and vibe from the first film—only crisper and more confident. You can tell the makers know exactly what to do with The Bad Guys this time around.

And the music? Absolutely banging. Pemberton’s score gives the film its swagger, bouncing between sneaky, jazzy heist vibes and propulsive action beats that make even a simple foot chase feel like a show-stopper. It feels cool—one of those soundtracks you catch yourself humming later while you’re making dinner.

What Parents Will Love

---

I actually adore the way they wrote the female characters in this movie—smart, bold and strong.

For lovers of the Aaron Blabey book series, this movie is a must-watch. My kids are long-time fans and they loved seeing all of their favourite parts of the books come to life again—the characters and running jokes really sing when you already adore the gang.

If you’re looking for a deeper reason to take the kids along, the film also leans into themes of trust, redemption and found family without ever tipping into preachy territory. The Bad Guys mess up (spectacularly), try to fix it (sometimes make it worse), and keep choosing each other even when it’s hard. That’s reassuring for kids and gives parents something meaningful to hold onto between the action and fart jokes.

Is The Bad Guys 2 Suitable for Kids?

---

Older kids, tweens and teens (and adults) will love it. It’s got a super fast pace, great music and enough edgy jokes to keep them happy.

Preschoolers and younger kids might find some of the action sequences and comic violence a bit intense—there are chases, fights and a fair bit of peril, even if it’s played for laughs. That said, my six-year-old took it all in her stride and thoroughly enjoyed it.

If your child hasn’t watched many movies or is sensitive to this type of content, it might be worth waiting until they’re a little older. For families who enjoyed the first film (or action-heavy animations in general), you’ll be sweet.

 

The Verdict: The Bad Guys 2 Movie Review

---

Does it follow a familiar formula? Totally—and that’s part of its charm. The movie sticks closely enough to the first film’s blueprint (and classic heist tropes) that kids were never in doubt the Bad Guys would triumph over evil. For little ones, that predictability is comforting; for older kids and adults, the fun is in how stylishly it all unfolds. Think fast quips, escalating silliness and double-crosses galore.

Beyond the kid-friendly chaos, there’s plenty for grown-ups to enjoy. The nods to classic heist cinema, the playful genre riffs, the snappy banter and that stylish, graphic-novel look make it a genuinely fun watch. The performances are sharp across the board, and there’s an undercurrent of sincerity that keeps the story from feeling totally ridiculous. Also: it’s all killer, no filler. No boring middle bit—just fun from start to finish.

If you loved the first Bad Guys, you’ll be right at home here. The sequel keeps everything that worked—punchy pacing, slick visuals, loveable characters—and adds just enough new chaos to feel fresh.

For fans of the books, it’s a must-watch. For families looking for a school-holiday crowd-pleaser, it’s an easy yes. The animation and look-and-feel are brilliant, the cast bring the characters to life so well, and the soundtrack absolutely slaps. It really does feel like your favourite heist movies had a baby that’s perfectly pitched for kids.

Final word: The Bad Guys 2 is an enjoyable 8/10. My kids loved it, I laughed plenty, and we all walked out with big grins. Not bad for a bunch of “good” bad guys.